2/14/2018 3:28 PM PST

Alexis Ren's not trying to hear the haters dismissing her as an Instagram model who has no biz being SI's Swimsuit Rookie of the Year -- she's too busy changing the game ... for the better, she says.

Alexis told us she's excited to be part of the new wave of nontraditional models, who don't get their start on catwalks and glossy magazines. She's not planning to rest on the laurels of her SI title or her nearly 12 million IG followers ... instead, Alexis wants to prove she's the new model for modeling success.

The good news for her fans is ... she wants to find new ways to connect with you.

As for her status on Instagram, now that she's got the ROTY title? More good news.

2/13/2018 8:36 AM PST

The former Miss Universe (2012) was a finalist for S.I.'s "Rookie of the Year" -- and despite these insane photos, she somehow didn't win.

Culpo's pics were part of a shoot called "In Her Own Words" where models like Hunter McGrady, Sailor Brinkley Cook (Christie Brinkley's daughter) and Paulina Porizkova wrote meaningful words on their body.

SI says the shoot is "a platform that allows the voice, the strength and the passion of these women to be expressed in the rawest form…on the naked body."

Mission accomplished.

The Swimsuit -- er, lack thereof -- issue hit shelves today ... and it's full of insanely gorgeous women who will end up dating Patriots players because that's how life works.

10/26/2017 9:34 AM PDT

EXCLUSIVE

You can't say models don't eat ... because Samantha Hoopes just put her foot in her mouth, saying she can't get on S.I.'s Swimsuit Issue cover due to her weight -- or lack thereof.

Samantha was at LAX signing tons of her swimsuit modeling shots for fans ... when we asked what's the deal with her NOT scoring a cover. It's clearly a sore subject because she immediately threw shade at bigger models ... suggesting S.I. might give her a look IF she packed on some pounds.

She quickly pled JK, but it feels like her joke's at least partially based on real feelings. Remember, S.I. gave Ashley Graham the cover in 2016.

Samantha did admit the modeling landscape has changed drastically, and, to be fair ... she says that's a good thing.

5/3/2017 7:50 AM PDT

Joy Corrigan won't be held back by anything when she's on the job -- especially not a silly bikini top.

The S.I. swimsuit model was doing a photo shoot in Miami, and ditched the top half of her bikini just because ... and the view -- front and back -- seemed to be working from the photog's point of view.

Joy's no stranger to Florida shoots ... she pulled a Baywatch look last summer, where things got pretty messy on the beach.